The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-24

was tried In deoorous and lsisurely way.
A committee being appointed 10 obtain
witnesses on his behalf AT one time dur
ing the proceedings there seemed TO be some
ALTERING on the part Of the judges, notwtth-
etandinR the conclusive character OF tho testi-
mony against tho prisoner. Then twas" We
read. that william A. Howard. o man OF Inn
petuous bravery. AFTER Watching the cooling
zeal for few minutes, rose, and, laying his ro-
yolyer on tho table. looked about over the as
sembly; then In slow. clear enunciation said:
Gentlemen, as understand It. We are here to
hang somebody The look and manner wore
enough there was no more hating" Ateleven
o'clock Mt night tho trial was concluded, the
accused being unanimously pronounced guilty
and sentenced 10 be hanged Immediately.
saainst tho protest OF w. T. Coleman, who
thought that to execute the prisoner At night
In such hot haste would expose the committee
TO the imputation OF cowardice. The remon-
STRANGE was UNDECIDED, and Mr.. Brannan was
directed to announce the decision Of the Vigil
lance Committee To tho crowd which had gath
cred around tho engine house. There were
some murmurs among the bystenders, but the
sentence was approved by the majority. The
subcommittee. appointed to select o place and
make arrangements for the execution, settled
upon the old adobe Custom House building
then standing In tho Plaza
Now lot us listen once moro TO Mr.. Bancroft:
AT half past OF tho same night the door OF
the engine house was thrown open and tho
members Of the committee passed out into the
street. Tho largo proportion Of the outside
throns that applAuded their design had pro-
cured two stout ropes, which wero hold by
lines OF men on either side Of tho entrance,
leaving passagevay for tho Vigilance Com
mitteo and at the same time forming bar
rier to protect them from the pressure Of tho
crowd. Within the ropes the committee formed
In two lines Of two abreasti the prisoner was
bound and placed between them undor strong
guard, instructed to shoot him upon the frst
attempt at escape OF rescue. Az the committee
started their prisoner upon his last earthly
walk the boil Of the California Company tolled
forth the death knoll, striking, IN the stiffness
Of the night, with awful solemnlty upon the
ears Of tho iong-outraged community.
When the Plazakwas reached two attempts
were made to set free the condemned: the first
by the police. and the second BY gang Of
desperadoes, but both were beaten back. Ar
rtyed at the south porch Of the old adobe. the
prisoner was placed beneath the rope. which
passed through pulley fastened to the rnilinR
Of the veranda, and about bali past two the
Moose
lover Of liberty and good order, lay holdr cried
Cd, whom flfty hands grasped the rope. and,
with q sudden jerk that broke his neck, the
hrst victim OF the peoples justice in San Fran
cisco was swung upward" The condemned
man. It seems, had marched to the Plaza with
firm tread and fearless eye. smoking the while,
and died with cigar IN his mouth. Tho body
was loft hanging under strong citisens'
guard until Q O'clock, when 4 Yves given up
to the authorities.
We have followed at some length Mr.. Ban.
crofts account Of the execution Of jenkins. be-
cause n was not only the frat but typical
illustration Of tho work performed By the COM
mittso. But the number Of men hanged would
give very inadequate idoa Of the scope and
value OF It's explanatory services. Most OF Ito
interference with tho normal machinery oflaw
took place within three months after It's organ
ixation, yet 90 thorough and salutary was II
that San Francisco was rehab affiliated city.
30 patent was the indebtedness Of society to is
self-oppointed champions that after tho rolfn.
quishment Of authority by the nrst committee,
in September. 1851. there was little thought
Of prosecuting any Of its members. Grand
Juries. instead Of presenting indictments
against the leaderB, eulogized them IN their
reports.
Ban Francisco Vigilance Committee Of 1851. Mr..
Bancroft invites US TO observe with how little
punishment . great reform had boon effected.
" No sooner did the full power OF the oruaniza-
tion begin to be felt than criminality was dis
sipatsd. Desperadoes, knowing that sure and
swift punishment would follow their Ill deeds
paused, then scattered In every direction. glad
to make their escape. California ceased to be
the place for them." It was not by tho extent
OF magnitude Of the penalties inflicted that the
change was brought about The Vigilance
Committee had executed but four persons when
four score should have been hanged II law had
done ito simple duty. Four score executions
could have occurred under the fat Of tho law
without producing half the terror caused BY
these four executions by the people. With the
law evil doors were we'll acquainted. During
this golden age Of crime m California they and
tho law had, like the lion ond the lamb, often
lain down together. Courts represented tho
legitimate risks incident to. their occupation.
They bad no quarrel with the courts but this
new and worse thnn Internal agency was thelr
abominstion. Under the old regime each limb
OF the law was as we'll known to the professions
oil offender as his own limb; but under tho
new order Of things every man ho met was
spy upon his actions"
When the necessity for interposition between
society and the predatory classes seemed no
longer TO exist the San Francisco Vigilance
Committee OF 1851 laid down their power as
willingly as they had taken It up reluctantly.
They did not. however. formally dlsorganine.
believing that should they do SO. and tho fact
become known, crime would OF once Lift up It's
head. and thoir labors would be OF but little
permanent benefit. They simply notified the
courts and tho police that henceforth. unless
there should be occasion for Il, they would not
interfere with the regular course Of Justice
Nevertheless they kept themselves In readi-
moss 70 aid the law by every means In their
power In any emergency. As late as May. 1852,
the Executive Committee were still holding
meetings, but tho records close abruptly on
Juno 30, 1852.
In the last three hundred pages OF
this volume Mr.. Bancroft portrays the
minor popular tribunals modelled on
the FIRST Vigilance Committee Of San
francisco. and organized at about the
same time or afterward. throughout the State
OF California aud In the Territories Of Oregon.